The Avery Home.....morning
"That was some party at Mac and Karen's the other night, huh?" Daniel asks.
"Yeah, it was."
"You know, honey, I was thinking. Why don't we have everyone over here sometime? Once we're a little more settled."
"Sounds like a good idea," Betsy says. "You know, I really like Tim and Sharon Benson. I'm almost ashamed they've lived right next door to Mom and Dad for a couple months and I'd never met them until Mac and Karen's party."
"Yeah, they're a nice family," Daniel says as the phone rings. "I'll get it." He walks over to the table beside the bed and picks up the phone. "Hello? Dad, hey," he says with a smile. "No, it's not too early. Yeah, I was just getting dressed to go to the hospital. We're just fine. How are you? Oh yeah? When? Dad, that's great! Of course. Okay, that's fine. Just give me a call and let me know when you're arriving. I'll give Jason a call, I'm sure he'll wanna drive up. Yeah. Okay, Dad. I love you, too. See you soon. Bye." Daniel puts the phone down on the table and turns to Betsy with a smile. "Honey, guess what."
"Your father's coming for a visit," Betsy says.
"When is he coming?" Betsy asks.
"Tonight. He's catching the 5:30 flight from Jersey City."
"Tonight? That doesn't give me much time to get the house ready."
"The house is fine," says Daniel. "I think I'm gonna call Jason right now, before he leaves for work."
"Honey, of course you should call Jason and tell him that your father is visiting. But, I don't think you should pressure him about driving up from San Diego."
"Why not?"
"Daniel, you know how Jason feels about your father," Betsy says. "He's never been as close to Richard as you have."
Daniel sighs. "You're right. Jason's always resented Dad for leaving when we were kids. But honey, this would be a great time for them to reconcile. We'll have the whole family here. A little Avery reunion." Daniel picks the phone up again and dials his brother's number in San Diego. After several rings, Jason answers. "Hey, big brother. I was just about to hang up," Daniel says as Betsy looks on. "Listen, I have some great news. At least I hope you'll think it's great. No, Betsy isn't pregnant again. Dad's coming for a visit. Yeah, he'll be arriving tomorrow. Jason, I'm really hoping that you'll take the time to drive up and see him."
A housing development site....
"So, as you can see, some of the houses are about 60 to 70% completed," Gary tells him as they walk down the street. "Once these are finished, we turn around and sell them for a fairly hefty profit."
"Sounds great to me," says Michael.
"I'm glad you came out to look at the site this morning. Does this mean you've decided to come in on this with me?"
"I've been doing a lot of thinking since you asked me the other day. And yeah, Gary. I have decided. I know this'll make my Mom happy because it'll keep me here in Knots Landing."
Gary smiles. "Michael, that's great. I could really use your business expertise on this."
"I'm looking forward to it. You know, I was so depressed over losing a job I had for twenty years, but maybe it was a blessing in disguise. Maybe it was God's way of telling me it's time for a change."
"Great. Let's go back to my office and we can discuss details, look over some paper work, and all that good stuff."
"I'm ready for the challenge," Michael says.
The Avery Home....
"Hi, Mom," Betsy says, coming in from the den. "I was just doing some house cleaning. Ya know, sometimes I honestly regret taking the summer off from work to be a full-time housewife and mother."
Val laughs. "It's not that bad. Where are the kids?"
"They're out in the pool with Dylan and Eric"
"Are they okay?" Val asks, walking to the window and looking out. "I mean are those boys watching them close?"
"Mom, they're fine. Dylan and Eric are responsible when it comes to Laura and Daniel, Jr. You want a cup of coffee?"
"No, but I'd love some ice tea if you have it. It's too hot for coffee."
"I don't have any, but I can make some."
"No, that's alright," Val says.
"It'll only take a minute," Betsy says, seemingly nervous and annoyed,which concerns Val.
"Betsy, sweety, what's wrong? You seem a little.....on edge."
Betsy sighs as she takes a seat on the sofa. "Daniel's father called this morning. He's coming for a visit. He gets here tonight."
"Richard's coming?"
"Yeah."
"Well, you don't seem very happy about it," Val says, taking a seat beside her daughter.
"I'm trying to be. But, Daniel called Jason and practically begged him to drive up from San Diego one day this week and see Richard. And, Jason has a different attitude towards his father than Daniel does. Jason still resents Richard for walking out on them when he was so young. Daniel, on the other hand, adores his father and has this romanticized view of him."
"Well, maybe this will be a good chance for Richard and Jason to move past all that. I mean it was a long time ago."
"I know. But for Jason, I think the pain of being deserted when he not even nine years old yet, is still as fresh as if it had just happened."
Betsy looks at her mother, then stands and walks to the mantle. She turns back to Val. "I don't like the man. It's true I don't know him that well, but, the things I've heard. I guess his visit is coming too soon on the heels of Angela's brief little visit. Richard Avery deserted his wife and kids, Mom. Daniel wasn't even a year old yet. How does a parent do that? I look at my two beautiful babies and I know that I could never, EVER abandon them. I don't see how anybody could. And I'm not talking about when Dad ran out on you after Lucy was born. That was totally different. Dad was only 18-years-old then and under a lot of pressure from his family. Richard Avery was a grown man in his late 30s when he left his family. I guess I'll just never understand that."
"It was kinda hard for everybody to understand it at the time," Val says, standing to walk over to her daughter. "But, darlin', old wounds need to heal. They HAVE to heal. And now is a good time."
"I may need your help. If Jason decides to come see his father, I'm not so sure how it's gonna go."
"Well, you have my help, sweetheart. ALWAYS," Val says, putting her arms around Betsy.
MacKenzie & Associates....
"Thanks Dad, but I don't have any appointments or anything this afternoon, so I'm gonna run a few errands and then go home early."
"Everything okay, sweetheart?"
"Everything's fine."
"Ya don't look like everything's fine," Mac says. "Come on, this is your father here. You been actin' strange ever since Saturday night. What gives?"
Meg stands from her seat at her desk and walks over to him. "You remember that guy who came to the cookout with Molly?"
"Brandon Williams," Meg says.
"What about him?" Mac asks.
"I knew him at school. At Yale."
"Really? Why do I get the feelin' it was more than you knowin' this guy? Is there a story there?"
"Oh yeah," replies Meg. "There's a story. Brandon and I were involved."
"Wait a second. Is this the guy you were datin' that hurt you and you didn't wanna talk about it?"
"That's him."
"Then what the hell is he doin' in Knots Landing?" Mac asks.
"He came here to see me. He showed up here at the office last week, and then again at the law library. I told him to get lost."
"And what was he doin' with Molly?"
"Good question. Obviously, he's using her to get to me."
"Does Molly even know you and this Brandon guy were involved?"
"No."
"Well don't ya think she should be let in on this? Before she gets too involved with this guy and ends up gettin' hurt, too?"
Meg looks at her father and sighs. "I know. You're right. I've thought about this ever since Saturday. I do have to tell Molly the truth. Unless I can somehow convince Brandon to leave town first."
Sheraton Gateway Hotel....later
"In your dreams," Meg says. "I need to talk to you."
"Then won't you please come in?"
Meg looks at Brandon standing there dressed only with a towel wrapped around his waist. "No, thank you. I'd prefer we talk right here."
"Well, Meg, as you can see, I'm not exactly dressed for conversing in the hallway."
"Put some clothes on, and I'll come in."
"Why?" Brandon asks. "After all, you've seen everything I have. On more than a few occasions."
"Just put some damned clothes on."
Brandon pauses and then smiles at her for a moment. "Be right back. Come on in and make yourself comfortable in the meantime."
"Thanks, but I'll wait.'
"Suit yourself," Brandon says as he turns and walks back into the bedroom.
Meg waits impatiently in the hallway outside of his suite as Brandon slips on his boxers and jeans, then returns to the living room.
"Better?" He asks with a smile.
"You could've put on a shirt," Meg says, walking in and closing the door.
"What's the matter, Meg? Afraid you won't be able to control your feminine impulses?"
"Trust me, you have NOTHING that I want anymore."
"You sure didn't use to say that."
"That was before I found out the hard way what a jerk you really are," Meg says. "Now, the reason I'm here......my cousin Molly."
Brandon smiles. "Ah, yes. The lovely Molly. Beautiful girl. Awfully sweet and trusting, too."
"How did you end up meeting her, and what the hell are you up to with my cousin?"
"I'm not up to anything. And my meeting Molly was pure coincidence."
"You're full of it. You honestly expect me to believe that, of all the girls in Southern California you just HAPPENED to run into my cousin?"
"I was out shopping, and there she was," Brandon says. "Working in the very store where I was shopping."
"Meg, you do have a suspicious mind," Brandon says, walking closer to her.
"I'm warning you. Stay away from Molly and get out of town."
"Or what, Meg?"
"Or I tell Molly the truth about you."
Brandon smiles. "Go ahead. It's still not too late to press charges against your boyfriend for coming here and punching me in the gut a few days ago. That's assault, Meg. A pretty serious charge."
"You're blackmailing me?" Asks Meg.
"Call it what you will," Brandon says. "You can keep your mouth shut, and your cousin will be happy. Or you can tell her the truth about our past and whatever fantasy you have going on in that pretty little head of yours about my ulterior motives, and she'll be hurt, and not only that, your boyfriend goes to jail. Which is it gonna be, Meg?"
"You son of a bitch," Meg says. "I can't believe I ever saw something good and decent in you. Last warning.....you hurt Molly, and I swear you will be sorry." Meg walks to the door, then turns back to him. "If you're staying in town thinking that you're gonna somehow woo me back into your arms, then you're even crazier and more delusional than I thought you were. So you're just wasting your time. I have a real man in Bobby. More of a man than you'll ever be." Meg storms out of the suite and slams the door behind her.
After she leaves, Brandon laughs.
The Avery Home.....that night
"Hey everybody, we're here," Daniel says as he and Richard walk into the house.
"Grandpa!!" Laura and Daniel, Jr. shout in unison as they run over to Richard.
"Well, hello, there," Richard says, bending down to hug the two small children. "My how you two have grown." Richard stands and looks at his daughter-in-law. "Hello, Betsy."
"Hello, Richard. How was your flight?"
Daniel laughs at his father's comment. "Honey, where's Dylan?"
"Yes, where is my other grandson?"
"He's upstairs getting your room ready," Betsy says. "Dylan moved all of his things into the den."
"I could've slept in the den, I don't wanna displace anybody," Richard says as Dylan comes down the stairs.
"Oh my goodness," Richard says. "Dylan? Just look at you. You're not a kid anymore, you're practically grown up. You're as tall as I am. And you're the spitting image of your father when he was your age."
Dylan smiles. "It's good to see you. I've got your room all ready upstairs."
"Thank you." Richard looks at his son, daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren and smiles. "This is just great," he says. "I can't tell you all how happy I am and how great it feels to be here, surrounded by my family," he says, putting his arms around Daniel and Dylan. "Now if only Jason were here, the Averys would be complete."
The next morning....
"Well, it's nice to see some things never change," he says.
Karen stops what she's doing and hesitates for a brief moment. Then she turns around and is stunned to see Richard standing before her.
"Hi, Karen."
"Oh, it's so good to see you. Look at you, you look great."
"And look at you. You never change," Richard says. "And I swear, you never age."
Karen laughs. "Well, I think THAT'S a bit of an exaggeration, but I thank you for the compliment. Richard, what are you doing here?"
"Well, my son and his wife live right over there with my grandchildren, so I'm visiting," he replies.
"Still the same old sarcastic Richard, I see," Karen says with a smile.
"Always. Old neighborhood still looks exactly the same."
"Yes it does. That's the one thing that TRULY never changes is this cul-de-sac. Hey, you want some lemonade? I just made some."
"Well, I don't wanna keep you from your work," says Richard.
"You won't be. Besides, we haven't seen each other in, what? Six, seven years, since your last visit? We have a LOT of catching up to do."
"Well in that case, I'd love some lemonade," Richard says.
"Wonderful," Karen says. She takes him by the arm and together they go into the house.
Later.....
"You're welcome."
"I had forgotten just how wonderful your lemonade is."
Karen laughs. "Well, I appreciate the compliment."
"How is everything with you and Mac?"
"Things are great," replies Karen. "Michael and his 17-year-old son Eric have been staying with us for a while, and Michael is even about to go into the real estate business with Gary."
"Really, now?" Richard asks.
"Yep. And I couldn't be happier, because that means that Michael will be staying on in Knots Landing. And we even have Meg home from law school, so, after years of having the empty nest syndrome Mac and I have a pretty full house again."
"Yeah, Daniel was telling me that Meg had graduated from law school and joined Mac's firm. That must make him real proud."
"Oh, it does," Karen says.
Richard smiles. "Laura would be very proud of all three of her kids."
"Yes she would," Karen says, reaching across the table and touching Richard's hand. "So, Richard, what's been going on with you? Did your wife come with you? Uhh......Nancy, isn't it?"
"No, she didn't," Richard replies sadly.
Karen notices his sudden mood change at the mention of his wife. "Is everything okay?"
Richard looks at his old friend and sighs. "Nancy and I have been divorced since January."
"Oh. Oh, Richard, I'm sorry."
"It's alright. It hurt at first of course, but, I'm doing okay now. That's one reason I wanted to come here and see my family. I haven't seen Daniel and Betsy and the kids since last Thanksgiving, and it's been a year since I've seen Jason and Dylan. I needed a change. And it's nice being back in the old neighborhood again, even with all the bad memories here."
"But there are some good memories, too, aren't there?" Karen asks.
"Oh yes. Lotta good memories. Lotta bad memories. Ya know, before I came over to talk to you, I was standing in Daniel's yard looking at my old house," Richard says, taking a sip of his lemonade. "Who lives there now?"
"No one. A man lived there for a couple years, a Thomas Sanders. He was an older man, a bachelor. Generally kept to himself. He moved out about three months ago, and the place just went back on the market."
"Did it?" Richard asks.
"Why? You, uh, thinking about moving back?"
"Nah. Not seriously. But, it would be real nice to be close to my family at this stage of my life. After all, I'm getting older and, now that Nancy and I are divorced, I really don't have anything left for me in Jersey."
Karen smiles. "Well, I hope you consider it. It'd be great having you living next door again, old friend."
"You must have a rose colored memory of the past," says Richard. "I wasn't exactly the greatest neighbor when I lived here."
"No you weren't, but I overlooked your faults and loved ya anyway."
Modern Steak restaurant.....that night
"This is one of the best restaurants in town," says Molly.
"You know, Molly, these past few days have been really wonderful. I can't believe my luck. I arrive in town, and right away I meet you."
"I can't believe what a strange coincidence it was, us meeting. I mean, considering that you went to law school with my cousin Meg."
"Yes," Brandon says. "That was an amazing coincidence, wasn't it? Or was it a coincidence at all?"
"What do you mean?" Molly asks.
"I prefer to think it was........fate.......rather than a coincidence. Fate drew us together, Molly."
"You know what we should do?" Brandon asks.
"What?"
"We should go down to the beach. You know I've been here a few days now, and I still haven't been to the beach at night."
Molly smiles. "Well, you're definitely in for a treat. The beach is awesome at night. I love going there and just sitting on the shore, listening to the waves. It's so peaceful."
"Maybe we should stop by my hotel room and your house so we can change first," Brandon says. "I don't think the way we're dressed is great beach attire."
"You're right," Molly says with a laugh. "Okay since my house is closer we'll stop there first. In fact, there may be some clothes of my Dad's that you can wear. You two are about the same size. Then we won't have to go all the way back to your hotel."
Brandon smiles. "That would be great. If your father won't mind."
"He won't. He doesn't even live there anymore, so, he'll probably never even know."
"Fine, then, let's go," says Brandon.
The Avery home....
"Betsy, I really have to compliment you on your cooking," Richard says. "This meal is wonderful. If I stay here very long, I'll gain fifty pounds."
"Thank you, Richard," Betsy says with a laugh. "I learned from the best......my Mom."
"Well, not that I'm knocking Val's cooking," says Richard. "But I think the best cook in the world had to be Daniel and Jason's mother, Laura. Even after all these years, I still remember how great a lot of her dishes tasted. Jason, you remember your mother's chicken casserole?"
"Of course," Jason replies, his tone rather snappy.
"And then there was that other special dish that she made......what was it called? Ummm......I can't remember what it was called, but it was absolutely delicious."
"So do I," says Richard. "Laura would've been very proud of all three of our grandchildren. She was a wonderful woman. Wonderful wife, wonderful mother. And she would've been a very doting grandmother."
"She was so wonderful, is that why you treated her like a dog all those years?" Jason asks. A very uncomfortable silence falls over the table after the question.
"No, little brother, I wanna know. He's always talking about what a wonderful woman Mom was. Always singing her praises. But he sure as hell never did that when she was alive."
"This isn't the time or the place," says Daniel.
"Why not? We're all here, all the Averys. What better time to get it all out in the open?"
"Mistakes? You call all the hell you put us through 'mistakes'?"
"Jason, stop it!" Daniel says.
"No, little brother. You wanted a 'family reunion', well here it is. You were too little to remember when he lived with us in the house next door, when he and Mom were married. But I remember it very well. I remember all the fights and the way he use to treat her and talk to her. I remember the day he went nuts and held Mom in that house next door at gunpoint."
Daniel, Betsy, and Dylan all look at Jason in shock.
"Didn't know about that, did you, little brother?" Jason asks. "How could you? Mom was pregnant with you at the time."
"Umm, Dylan, could you please take the children upstairs?" Asks an embarrassed Betsy.
"Sure," Dylan says. "Come on, guys." Dylan gets the two small children up from the table and takes them upstairs. He sends them to their rooms, but secretly sneaks back to the stairs and takes a seat on the fifth step from the top, where he can hear the argument going on in the dining room.
"Well, now that you've embarrassed me in front of the entire family, including my grandchildren, are you finished?" Richard asks angrily.
"Jason, what the hell are you talking about?" Daniel asks.
Jason stands from his seat. "I was eight years old and Mom was pregnant with you. I dunno, six, seven months along, maybe. Dad had been having a lot of problems and all they ever did was fight. Mom finally had enough and left him, and he couldn't handle it. I lived with her, and Dad got to see me every other weekend. So one day, he came and picked me up from my karate class. Then when we got back to the house, he called Mom and asked her to come over to pick me up. When she got there, he had dinner cooked and everything. Acted just like everything was fine. Until Mom wanted to leave, and he wouldn't let her. I was playing in the living room, and they started fighting....
"NOW are you finished?" Richard asks.
Daniel stands and looks at his father. "Is what he's saying true? Did you hold my mother against her will when she was carrying me?"
"It's true," Richard says as he stands. "But what your brother failed to tell you was that I was having a nervous breakdown at the time. I had lost everything. I was mentally disturbed."
"I'm sorry, little brother," says Jason. "But you're the one who wanted this family together again. I thought you deserve to know the truth. All your life you've looked up to him. Thought he was this great father. But you were just too young to remember what he was like before we went to live with him after Mom died. I couldn't sit there listening to him sing the praises of our mother, a woman he treated like garbage when she was alive."
"I LOVED your mother!" Richard says angrily. "I tried my damndest to make the marriage work."
"And you couldn't handle it when it didn't work," says Jason. "So you made life hell for all of us. Danny, I'm sorry. But as you can see this is NOT the wonderful, typical family you've always believed we were. That's why I left as soon as I got out of school. Because I couldn't stand to live in the same house with him and his wife, seeing him treat her ten times better than he treated our mother."
"I made a lot of mistakes, Jason," Richard says. "Just like everybody else has. So if you wanna punish me for it for the rest of my life for the sins of my past, then go right ahead. That's up to you, son. But is punishing me worth opening up these old wounds in front of the whole family? Is it worth carrying this hate toward me around for the rest of YOUR life? Until you finally decide to let this go, you're never gonna be able to be happy. Daniel, Betsy, I'm sorry about all of this. I'm sorry Jason decided to turn your dinner into a family feud. Excuse me." Richard turns and leaves the room, heading up the stairs, walking right past Dylan without a word to him.
Back in the dining room, Jason looks at his brother and sister-in-law. "I'm sorry. I gotta get outta here," Jason says as he starts to walk out.
"Jason, where are you going?" Betsy asks.
"I'm going upstairs and say goodnight to Dylan, and then, I'm going back to San Diego."
"That's ridiculous," says Betsy. "It's late and San Diego is a long drive."
"Then I'll go to a hotel. All I know is I can't stay in the same house with my father." Without another word, Jason walks out and heads up the stairs.
Daniel retakes his seat at the dinner table, too stunned to even speak. Betsy looks at her husband, unsure of what to even say to him, or how to heal the wounds that had just been opened.
Knots Landing Beach....
"Wow," Brandon says. "That was.......amazing."
"Sure was," Molly agrees. "I can't believe we just made love on a public beach."
"It's late. And dark."
Molly raises her head and looks at him. "Brandon Williams, you are the most amazing guy I've ever known. I can't believe that, a week and a half ago I didn't even know you. Now, here we are."
"Yes, here we are," Brandon says with a smile. "Lying naked in each others' arms after having wild, passionate sex on a public beach. It's like I said earlier.......our meeting was fate."
"Well, whatever it was that brought us together......I'm sure not complaining," Molly says, then kisses him.
Gary and Val's home.....the next morning
"Morning," Betsy says, walking into the kitchen.
"Good morning," greets Karen.
"Morning, sweety, you want some coffee?" Val asks.
"Yes, please."
Val gets up, walks to the cabinet and grabs a cup. She pours Betsy a cup of coffee and hands it to her. "So how did your family dinner go last night?"
Betsy sighs. "It was........horrible. Absolutely horrible."
"Why, what happened?" Karen asks.
"Old wounds were reopened. And I'm afraid it was Daniel who got hurt in the crossfire between his father and his brother."
"I'll leave you two alone so you can talk," Karen says, getting up from the table.
"No, Karen, please stay," says Betsy. "You know all about this anyway."
"Darlin', what happened?" Val asks.
"Did Jason tell Daniel about....." Karen starts to ask.
"Oh yes," Betsy interrupts. "Jason told us all about how his father held Laura against her will at gunpoint when she was pregnant with Daniel. And from there, he proceeded to rant about how Richard just up and left them one night when Jason was nine."
"So, Daniel never knew about that incident?" Karen asks.
"No, no one ever told him. He was completely blindsided. We both were."
"Betsy, that was........that was a really bad time both for Richard and for Laura," Val says. "He had recently lost his job, and Laura had left him."
"He felt he had nothing," says Karen. "He was desperate. And the gun he used wasn't even loaded."
"So that makes it alright?"
"No, of course not. But Laura wasn't hurt. No one was hurt."
"No one except Richard's two sons," Betsy says. "Jason, who, as an 8-year-old child, had to watch his father hold his pregnant mother hostage to keep her from leaving him. And Daniel, who found out about all this more than thirty years after it happened."
"Why, after all these years, did Jason pick last night to rehash all of this?" Val asks.
"I think the resentment had been building inside of Jason for a long, long time, and last night, when we all sat down to a family dinner, it exploded. Richard kept going on and on about what a wonderful woman Laura was, and how she would've really doted on her grandchildren. That's when Jason started. Because it bothered him to hear Richard praise the wife he had treated so badly when they were together. I understand more now about why Jason has always felt the way he has about his father. The bad thing is, Daniel's idealized view of his father was completely shattered. He asked Jason to come so that he and Richard could heal the rift that's been between them all these years, but last night........it just made things so much worse and dragged the whole family into it."
"Oh, sweety," Val says, putting her arms around her daughter and embracing her.
The Avery home....
"Oh, Dylan. Come in," Richard says.
"Yeah," replies a sad Richard. "It's prob'ly for the best."
"All that stuff my Dad was saying last night. About the way you treated his mother, holding her at gunpoint when she was pregnant with Uncle Danny.......all that's true?"
Richard looks at the boy for a moment before answering. "I'm afraid it's true. I'm very sorry you had to hear all that. I'm sorry Daniel had to hear it. You see, Dylan, I had a lot of problems in those days. I had a very low self esteem, and sometimes, I did a lot of stupid things. I loved your grandmother Laura very much. I just didn't know how to make her happy. Does that make sense?"
"I think so," Dylan replies. "But why did you leave? You had a 9-year-old son and a little baby. How could you just leave them like that?"
"Do you think you and Dad can ever be close?"
"I dunno. I sure hope so. I want that more than anything."
"Me too. Dad doesn't have much room to judge you. He sure hasn't been the perfect father, either."
"Maybe not," Richard says. "But I do know one thing for sure. Your Dad loves you with all his heart. So don't judge him too harshly, Dylan."
At that moment, Karen appears in the door and knocks.
"Karen," Richard says. "Hi. What are you doing here?"
"Dylan, would you mind if I had a word with your grandfather?" Karen asks.
"Sure," the boy says.
"Eric is swimming in our pool," says Karen. "So why don't you grab your suit and go join him?"
"Okay."
After Dylan walks out, Karen walks over to Richard. "Betsy told Val and I what happened. You're leaving?"
"Yeah. It's for the best. If I stay here, I'll probably tear my family apart, and I don't want that."
"Richard, don't go just yet. Please? We haven't seen each other in so long, I was hoping Mac and I could have you over for dinner one night. Catch up."
Richard reaches out and takes her hand. He smiles. "Karen, you were always my biggest champion in this damned cul-de-sac, and my dearest friend. You always believed in me and supported me when no one else did, not even my own wife. I'd love to, but, I think it's best if I just go on back east. At least for now."
"You can't leave things like this between you and your sons, especially Jason," Karen says. "If you don't try and fix this now, it'll never be fixable."
"After all these years, I'm not sure it isn't already unfixable."
"I don't believe that."
"Still the eternal optimist, huh, Karen?"
"No. I just believe that families, especially parents and children, should never have these kind of large rifts between them."
"I don't believe so, either," Richard says. "But, one thing you've gotta realize is that, the Averys were never the Fairgates."
Radison Hotel......a short time later
"Gary," he says, surprised.
"Hi, Jason. Can I come in?"
"Sure."
"Thanks," Gary says, walking into the room.
"I'm surprised to see you. What can I do for you?" Jason asks.
"I talked to Val. And, Betsy told her about what happened last night between you and your father."
"Yeah. It wasn't pretty."
"Look, Jason, I understand how you feel," Gary says.
"How could you know how I feel, Gary?"
"Gary, no offense, but, I honestly don't see what this has to do with me and my father," Jason says. "The situations are totally different."
"Different yes, but, similar in a way," says Gary. "Jason, what I'm getting as is this. For years I carried around the resentment I had toward my father for wrongs I felt he had done to me. Eventually, we managed to have a civil relationship, but never a close one. After my father died, I still carried those scars......and that resentment. And along with it, some guilt. Guilt that I never really tried to repair that relationship before it was too late. Val went through a similar situation with her mother. Like I told you earlier, when Val left my family's ranch in Texas with our daughter Lucy, my brother J.R. sent some of his old boys to find her. Val went to her mother,but, Lillimae turned her away. Her own daughter. Wouldn't help her at all. As a result, J.R.'s boys took Lucy. Val hated her mother for years because of that. But in time, they did manage to come together as mother and daughter, and build a relationship. When Lillimae died two years ago, Val had no regrets, unlike me with my father. Look, I know that Richard has done some terrible things, and he was sure as hell never one of my favorite people. I saw how he treated your mother first hand. And I remember that day he had the breakdown very well. But that was a long, LONG time ago, Jason. The man has made some changes since then. And no matter what happened in the past, Richard's still your father. Don't let the same thing happen to you as happened to me. Don't look back one day after your father's gone and wish that you'd at least tried. Knowing your mother the way I did, I think Laura would want you to forgive Richard. She did. Just think about what I said." Gary pauses a second, then turns and walks out.
The Avery home....later
Betsy walks into the room. She pauses a moment as she watches her husband. Then she walks over to him.
"Honey," she says.
"I guess I was just a couple months old here," says Daniel. "They look so happy, didn't they?"
"Yeah, they did."
"I guess looks really CAN be deceiving. All my life I knew my family'd had problems. But nothing like what Jason described. Boy, if I'd known it was gonna be like this, I never would've insisted that he come see Dad."
"Daniel, you couldn't have known."
"Some family reunion that was, huh?" Daniel asks as Richard comes down the stairs carrying his suitcase.
"Dad, what's the suitcase for?" Daniel asks.
"I have a 5:30 flight out," Richard says.
"Dad, you don't have to leave because of what happened last night."
"I sorta figured you'd want me to, after all that stuff Jason brought up last night. And I don't blame you for hating me the way your brother does."
"Laura and I did have some happy times," Richard says.
"But not enough to stay together, huh?"
"No. Daniel, I'm sorry. I never wanted you to find out about all the ugliness that happened all those years ago. And I sure never meant for you to find out the way you did. That seems to be my curse in life. I hurt the people I love without even meaning to or trying. That's why I think it's best if I just leave. I couldn't stand it if I caused a rift between you and your brother."
"Sure you won't stay?" Daniel asks.
"Maybe some other time I'll come for another visit. if I'm welcome."
"You're welcome here, Dad," Daniel says.
"That's good to know."
"I'll drive you to the airport." Daniel turns to Betsy, who smiles at him. He kisses her, then Daniel and Betsy walk Richard out of the house. "I'll be back soon," Daniel says, kissing his wife again on the front steps.
Daniel and Richard then walk to Daniel's car. As they are about to get in, they are surprised to see Jason's car drive up and come to a stop in front of the house. Jason gets out and walks over to them.
"Going somewhere?" Jason asks.
"Yeah, I was just taking Dad to the airport," replies Daniel.
Jason looks at his father. "Why're you leaving so soon?"
"Figured after last night, I'd worn my welcome out here," says Richard.
"Things get a little tough and you up and leave. Just like always."
"Jason, for God's sake, wasn't last night enough?" Daniel angrily asks.
"No, it's alright," says Richard. "If your brother has anything else he wants to say to me, let him. I deserve whatever he wants to dish out."
"You think you deserve forgiveness?" Jason asks.
"What?"
Jason walks closer to his father and brother. "I was about to leave my hotel and head back to San Diego, when I had a visitor. It was Betsy's father. Gary made me take a long, hard look at myself, at you, and at our relationship." Jason pauses a moment as tears begin to run down his face. "I finally
"I can't hate you anymore. After all these years, it's time I let the love win. There's no way we can go back and change the past. All we can do is build a better future. Dad, please. Don't go. I called my office and postponed all my appointments a couple days. I want us to get to know one another again. Maybe we can finally be a real family."
"You mean that, Jason?" Daniel asks.
"Yeah, I mean it, little brother. Our childhoods were both hard, for different reasons. Mine because of all the dysfunction in our family, and then Dad leaving. Yours, because you grew up without Mom. But now, it's time to finally move on and not let our kids grow up with that same dysfunctional family that we did."
"So how about it, Dad?" Daniel asks, looking at Richard. "Will you stay the rest of the week?"
Richard smiles. "Who could refuse an offer like that?"
Betsy walks out to them. "Well, Daniel, why don't you take your father's suitcase back up to the guest room, and I'll start dinner."
"Nothing doing," Richard says. "Tonight, I'm taking my family OUT to dinner. To celebrate. My treat."
"That sounds great to me," Daniel says.
"Everybody come on inside," says Betsy.
Daniel takes his father's suitcase, and as the group heads into the house, Richard sees Gary's truck drive up to his house across the cul-de-sac. "You all go on in," Richard tells the others. "I'll be in in a minute." Daniel, Betsy, and Jason all go into the house. Richard walks across the street as Gary gets out of his truck. "Hey, Gary," he says, walking up to him.
Gary stops and turns to him. "Well, hello, Richard."
"You're thanking ME for something, Richard?" Gary asks. "Well, that's a first."
"Look, I don't know what you said to Jason, but you got through to him. I think the Averys are gonna be okay as a family. Not sure why you decided to help me, but..... thanks."
"Well, I didn't do it for you. Not exactly. I did it for my daughter and her husband. Betsy's part of your family now, and in a sense, that makes US family. I have to admit, Richard, I never liked you when we were neighbors. But that was a long time ago. We're both older now, and we've both changed a lot since the old days. Not only that, our kids are married to each other and we share two beautiful, precious grandchildren. That's why I did it."
Richard smiles. "You know something, Ewing? You're alright," he says, extending his hand.
Gary laughs. "You know something, Richard? So are you," shaking hands with Richard.
"See ya around," Richard says.
Gary nods. Then Richard turns and walks back across the street to Betsy and Daniel's home as Gary watches him with a smile.